Vaccinations for people living with muscle wasting conditions

For example, if you have heart or breathing problems, the flu and pneumococcal vaccines can help protect you from chest infections. People living with muscle wasting conditions can usually have some vaccinations free on the NHS.

Your GP or neuromuscular team can help you understand which vaccines are recommended for you and when to have them.

Vaccines work by giving you a small amount of bacteria or virus. This is not enough to make you ill, but it is enough to make your body start protecting itself against a certain illness. Your immune system is your body’s natural defence system, and it produces antibodies which protect you from future infection.

Having a vaccination does not mean you will not get an illness, but it’s much less likely. If you do get an illness, the symptoms may be milder, and you may recover more quickly than if you had not had the vaccine.

Your GP or neuromuscular team can explain the benefits and possible side effects of vaccines. Speak to them first if you have had any type of reaction to a vaccine before.

Most vaccines contain small amounts of viruses or bacteria that cause an illness. These are either weakened or destroyed, so they do not make you ill. When you have a vaccine, your immune system starts to protect you from that illness.

There are two main types of vaccine:

• Inactivated (non-live) vaccines contain viruses or bacteria that have been destroyed
• Live vaccines contain viruses or bacteria that have been weakened

If you’re having treatment that weakens your immune system, such as high doses of steroids, you may not be able to have live vaccines. Speak to your GP or neuromuscular team before having any vaccines. They may suggest having an inactivated vaccine or having the live vaccine before you start steroid treatment.

Inactivated vaccines are generally safe for people with muscle wasting conditions.

Making sure you’re up to date with routine vaccinations is important for preventing some illnesses. The UK government has a list of recommended vaccinations for children and adults.

Some people with muscle wasting conditions may need extra vaccinations. We describe these below. Each of the four nations has information about these vaccines:

• England
• Northern Ireland
• Scotland
• Wales

Flu vaccine

The NHS recommends having the flu vaccine every year. It’s available in autumn or early winter.

If you have a muscle wasting condition, you may be able to have a free flu vaccine on the NHS, especially if:

• You have, or are at risk of, heart or breathing problems
• You take medicine that weakens your immune system, such as steroids

Most flu vaccines are inactivated. This means they do not contain live flu virus and cannot give you flu. You have these vaccines as an injection in the arm. Young children may have the injection in their thigh.

There is also a live flu vaccine, which is given as a nasal spray. This type of vaccine is usually offered to children as part of the standard flu vaccination programme. It contains a weakened version of the flu virus. It does not cause flu, but it can cause mild symptoms like a runny nose.

Some children are not able to have the live vaccine and should have the inactivated vaccine instead. These include children aged under 18 years who:

• Are at risk of heart or breathing problems
• Have a weakened immune system
• Are taking a high dose of steroids

Healthy children who live with someone with a weakened immune system may also have the inactivated vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccine

The COVID-19 vaccine is usually available in spring and early winter each year. The groups of people that can have the vaccine changes each year. You can ask your GP or check the NHS website for the latest information.

Some people need an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they have a health condition or treatment that severely weakens their immune system.

Pneumococcal vaccine

The pneumococcal vaccine helps to protect against some bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis. Babies and people over the age of 65 years are routinely offered the vaccine.

Your doctor may offer you extra or regular doses of the vaccine if you’re at risk of complications from these illnesses. For example, if you have breathing problems or you’re taking a high dose of steroids.

RSV vaccine

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common virus that causes coughs and colds. Some people are more likely to get very ill from an RSV infection. These include young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems or breathing problems.

RSV vaccines are offered to pregnant mothers, as well as people aged 75-79 years. Young children who are likely to get very ill from RSV may also be able to have a vaccine. This includes babies and young children who:

• Are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy
• Have certain heart conditions
• Are having treatment with oxygen
• Use a ventilator

People at risk of RSV may have the vaccine every year in autumn to help protect them from serious illness.

Shingles vaccine

The shingles vaccine is routinely offered to people when they reach 65 years of age. If you’re taking medicines that weaken your immune system, you may be able to have the vaccine from the age of 50 years.

Chickenpox vaccine

The chickenpox (varicella) vaccine is not routinely given to people in the UK.

Because it’s a live vaccination, some people with muscle wasting conditions may not be able to have it, especially if they have a weakened immune system.

It’s recommended for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy before they start steroid therapy, only if they have never had chickenpox before.

To help protect you, it’s important that the people close to you are fully vaccinated. This lowers the chance of you catching illnesses that your body is less able to fight off.

People you live with, or who care for you, should also have:

• • Yearly flu vaccines – these are free on the NHS for your main carer and people you live with
  • The MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine – if your close contacts did not have two doses of this vaccine during childhood, they can ask their GP about catching up

Your GP or neuromuscular team can tell you which vaccines would benefit you and those close to you, depending on your muscle wasting condition.